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•Laser-induced efficient modification of the optical properties of nanoparticle composed glasses is studied.•Results on glasses with different gold concentration are ...presented.•Different regimes of precise tuning of the plasmon resonance band position are defined.•Optical properties modifications are related to nanoparticle morphology changes.
Noble metal nanoparticle composed glasses attract significant attention due to the unique optical properties that they express in the near UV and visible spectral range. These are related to the high values of the extinction cross section and nonlinear optical characteristics. In this work we study the ability of laser irradiation to induce modification of the optical properties of borosilicate glasses that contain gold nanoparticles. The process is investigated by application of laser pulses of nanosecond Nd:YAG system on glasses that consist of nanoparticles with different size and shape. The results show that at certain conditions the glass optical properties can be modified as a change of the nanoparticles plasmon resonance wavelength is observed. The influence of the laser fluence and pulse number on this effect is studied. Two fluence regimes are defined: (i) at low fluences, close to the optical properties modification threshold the increase of the laser fluence results in a blue shift of the resonance wavelength; (ii) further increase of the laser fluences induces a red shift. Similar behavior is observed by changing the number of the applied pulses. Here after application of several thousand laser pulses additional, third regime of blue shift is realized. Theoretical models based on multiparticle Mie scattering theory and heat conduction equation are applied to explain the observed modifications. On their basis and performed analyses can be concluded that the induced optical properties variations are related to modification of the nanoparticles size and shape by melting, fragmentation and coalescence. The obtained results indicate an ability of nanoparticle size and shape modifications with a high spatial resolution in 3D and can be used for fabrication of integrated optical systems.
To assess the efficacy and safety of a vaginal progesterone (P4) insert (Endometrin) for luteal support for assisted reproductive technology (ART).
Multicenter, randomized, open-label ...(assessor-blinded) phase III clinical trial.
Twenty-five U.S. ART centers.
A total of 1,211 ART patients randomized to three groups: Endometrin 100 mg twice daily (n = 404), Endometrin 100 mg three times daily (n = 404), and P4 90 mg 8% gel daily (n = 403).
In vitro fertilization and ET were performed according to site-specific protocols. The day after oocyte retrieval, Endometrin or vaginal P4 gel was begun for luteal support and continued for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Biochemical, clinical, and ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates.
Pregnancy rates were high and similar in all treatment groups, with biochemical rates exceeding 50%, clinical and ongoing rates ≥40%, and live birth rates at 35%–38%. The adverse event profiles were similar across groups.
Pregnancy rates and live birth rates for Endometrin (twice daily and three times daily) were high and similar to those for P4 gel. The adverse event profiles for both were similar to that for P4 gel and primarily due to IVF stimulation and oocyte retrieval. Endometrin was safe and well tolerated.
The European Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (ESPRAS) comprises 40 national societies across Europe. In addition to ESPRAS, there are 8 different European Plastic Surgery ...societies representing Plastic Surgeons in Europe. The 4
European Leadership Forum (ELF) of ESPRAS, held under the motto "Stronger together in Europe" in Munich in 2023, aimed to collect and disseminate information regarding the national member societies of ESPRAS and European societies for Plastic Surgeons. The purpose was to identify synergies and redundancies and promote improved cooperation and exchange to enhance coordinated decision-making at the European level.
An online survey was conducted regarding the organisational structures, objectives and challenges of national and European societies for Plastic Surgeons in Europe. This survey was distributed to official representatives (Presidents, Vice Presidents and General Secretaries) and delegates of national and European societies at the ELF meeting. Missing information was completed using data obtained from the official websites of the respective European societies. Preliminary results were discussed during the 4
ELF meeting in Munich in March 2023.
The ESPRAS survey included 22 national and 9 European Plastic Surgery societies representing more than 7000 Plastic Surgeons in Europe. Most national societies consist of less than 500 full members (median 182 members (interquartile range (IQR) 54-400); n=22). European societies, which covered the full spectrum or subspecialities, differed in membership types and congress cycles, with some requiring applications by individuals and others including national societies. The main purposes of the societies include research, representation against other disciplines, specialisation and education as well as more individual goals like patient care and policy regulation.
This ESPRAS survey offers key insights into the structures, requirements and challenges of national and European societies for Plastic Surgeons, highlighting the relevance of ongoing close exchange between the societies to foster professional advancement and reduce redundancies. Future efforts of the ELF will continue to further explore strategies for enhancing collaboration and harmonisation within the European Plastic Surgery landscape.
Indium-tin oxide (ITO) ceramic sputtering targets are widely used in formation of electrically conductive transparent thin films for electrodes in flat panel displays, solar cells, antistatic films ...and others, and which are commonly produced by a conventional dc magnetron sputtering process. The ceramic targets should be of high purity with a uniform microcrystalline structure and should possess high density and high electrical conductivity. In the present work, the challenges of the ceramic composition (e.g. the ratio of In
2O
3 and SnO
2) and manufacturing are considered; they include the use of high quality starting materials, particularly In
2O
3 powders with respect to purity, morphology and sinterability, manufacturing routes and sintering process. Positive experience in the development and manufacturing of ITO ceramic planar sputtering targets using in-house prepared In
2O
3 powders is reported. ITO ceramic tiles with areas up to 1500–1700
cm
2 and densities of 99+% of TD are manufactured. Physical properties of the ITO ceramics and sputtered films have been studied.
The last several years witnessed increasingly rapid advances in applying biopolymers in tissue engineering for the purposes of regenerative medicine. The growing demand for preparing materials with ...desired physical, biological and mechanical properties requires active investigations in the field of tissue engineering. Among the wide variety of biopolymers, chitosan proved to be an outstanding material due to its properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and a wide range of available fabrication technologies. The present work is a case study of an extensive research on the functionalization of thin biopolymer films via laser patterning. The aim of the current study is to investigate the optical properties of biopolymer films on the example of chitosan and chitosan with silver nanoparticles additives. As laser sources are used a nano- and a femto-second laser system emitting the wavelengths of 355 nm and 800 nm, respectively. The compositions produced are investigated by spectral analyses using spectrometers and an optical microscope. Furthermore, the morphology of the samples is monitored by SEM analyses. The results obtained demonstrate the potential of the method employed for obtaining diverse porous modifications depending on the laser parameters. Adding silver nanoparticles will drastically increase the thin chitosan films' antimicrobial properties, thus enhancing the biocompatibility properties of the 2D matrices created.
The main treatment in nearly every case of thyroid cancer is surgery. The exception often refers to anaplastic carcinoma because this cancer is already widespread at the time of diagnosis. Most of ...the cases are treated with thyroidectomy, but small tumors that spread inside the thyroid gland might be treated by lobectomy. Intrathoracic goiter accounts for 5.8% of all mediastinal masses. On the other hand, the incidence of thyroid malignancy in cervico-mediastinal thyroid masses is 7,7%. In such cases, total thyroidectomy with en block removal of the mediastinal portion of the gland is the treatment of choice. We present a case of a 34-year-old woman with cervico-mediastinal malignant goiter.
Surgical interventions for intractable and unamenable for dilatation peptic esophageal strictures could sometimes be difficult and challenging. Esophageal perforation management depends on many ...factors such as underlying esophageal disease, location and cause of perforation, age, overall condition, comorbidities, and time from perforation to presentation. Of great importance for the selection of technique is whether the esophagus is normal and it is worthwhile trying not to remove it or whether it is pathologically changed and it is reasonable to proceed with resection during the initial intervention. We present a patient who has undergone surgery several times in another hospital for perforation of peptic stricture in the distal part of the esophagus and esophageal diversion in its proximal part. Three months later, he was admitted to the Thoracic Surgery Department and resection of the excluded esophagus followed by thoracic duct ligation for chylothorax was performed. After another three months, retrosternal colon replacement and subsequent removal of the gastrostomy were performed.
Gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma is a rare type of cancer of the esophagus. It is usually diagnosed in advanced stages and much less frequently in the earlier stage, where surgical treatment ...is essential. Surgical treatment is also essential in kidney cancer. The occurrence of synchronous malignancies with an esophageal malignancy is a well-described phenomenon with an incidence ranging from 3.6 to 27.1%. To the best of our knowledge, only 11 cases of synchronous esophageal and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have been previously described. We present a patient operated simultaneously for cancer of the gastroesophageal junction with synchronous renal cell carcinoma. The finding in the kidney was accidentally discovered by the routine CT scan on the occasion of the relatively early carcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction detected by upper endoscopy. The patient was admitted to the Thoracic Surgery Department, where Ivor-Lewis gastroesophagoplasty and right nephrectomy simultaneously were performed. The patient was followed for 5 years without evidence of disease progression.
The technical TiAl-alloy γ-MET (Ti–46.5Al–4(Cr, Nb, Ta, B)) was oxidised thermocyclically (24
h-cycle-test) at 900
°C in wet and dry air. In this paper results of untreated and fluorine treated ...TiAl-samples are presented. Their oxidation behaviour will be shown. Several methods were used to apply the halogens to the surface, e.g. beamline ion implantation, spraying of or dipping into a halogen containing liquid. A pure protective alumina scale was found, e.g. after treatment with a fluorine containing polymer and thermocyclic oxidation up to 1 year at 900
°C in laboratory air. On the other side thick fast growing and non-protective mixed oxide scales were found on the untreated samples.
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